Surat: A group in Surat has created biodegradable rakhis using cow dung and urine, drawing attention online after makers claimed the unusual rakhis could help “defeat China” and suggested that cow dung can block radiation.
Cow dung rakhis carry a larger message
The handmade rakhis use cow dung and urine along with a wooden base carrying slogans centred on the protection of gaumata. Videos showing the making process feature workers shaping cow dung into small discs before decorating them with beads and other ornaments and attaching colourful threads.
The makers say the initiative is intended not only to provide an eco-friendly alternative to conventional rakhis but also to promote their “Gau Mata Aahwan Abhiyan”.
Radiation claim draws online reaction
The claim that “gobar radiation ko rokta hai” — or that cow dung blocks radiation — has become a major talking point surrounding the rakhis.
The assertion has been widely questioned on social media, with users describing it as an unscientific claim and turning it into memes and jokes.
The viral discussion has consequently shifted attention from the biodegradable nature of the rakhis to the scientific basis of the radiation claim.
Similar rakhis made last year
This is not the first time cow dung rakhis have attracted attention online.
Last year, women in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, made similar rakhis using cow dung. Those rakhis were dedicated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and linked by their makers to themes of women’s safety and respect following Operation Sindoor.
The Surat initiative has now brought the unusual form of Raksha Bandhan craft back into the spotlight, combining an eco-friendly pitch with a campaign centred on cow protection and a controversial claim that has prompted widespread debate.